St. Gilgen (Sankt Gilgen)

The Basics

In winter, St. Gilgen holds one of the Salzburg area’s most famous Christmas markets, with wooden stalls selling handmade jewelry, traditional wooden toys, and fragrant local gingerbread alongside plenty of warming glühwein. A cable car travels up to Zwölferhorn for skiing, and between May and September this becomes a jumping off point for hiking, cycling, and climbing adventures in the Salzkammergut (Austrian Lake District). By summer, Wolfgansee lake is given over to water sports and cruiser trips to the equally cute lakeside towns of Strobl and St. Wolfgang.

Visit St. Gilgen on a The Sound of Music tour or take in the town as a stop on an excursion to the Lake District along with the villages of St. Wolfgang and Bad Ischl on Wolfgangsee. Some Lake District tours also take in the Eagle’s Nest and the historic Hallstatt Salt Mine.

Things to Know Before You Go

• St. Gilgen’s historic center is delightfully charming and makes for great photos, as does the surrounding countryside. Be sure to have your camera at the ready.
• The center of town is thick with shops and boutiques, enough to keep less active visitors busy while the adventure seekers in the group can explore the nearby mountain trails and ski runs.
• St. Gilgen is one of the most important hubs for water sports on the lake, so a good spot to head across the water on a windsurf board or jet ski.
• The town of St. Gilgen is accessible to wheelchair users, though not all of the boat tours across the lake can accommodate those with limited mobility. Check in advance.

How to Get There

St. Gilgen (Sankt Gilgen) is set on the lake shore of Wolfgangsee, and can be easily reached by car from Salzburg via highway 158 in about 45 minutes; the nearest international airport is located in Salzburg.

When to Get There

The historic towns along Wolfgangsee are a short drive from Salzburg, so can be overrun with daytrippers on weekends and holidays, especially when the Christmas market is open in December. Visit during the week to avoid the crush of tourists.

The Jewels of the Salzkammergut

Austria’s Salzkammergut, or Lake District, is dotted with jewel-like towns on the shores of the Fuschlsee, Mondsee, and Wolfgangsee lakes and is famous for its landscapes that are so beautiful they made it onto the silver screen. Must-see villages include Fuschl, Mondsee, St. Gilgen, St. Wolfgang, and Bad Ischl.